Nii Parkes

Our class was fortunate enough to meet with Nii Parkes, author of Tail of the Blue Bird, a mystery novel which we finished about two weeks ago. His visit to our class was not so much a lecture as it was a Q&A session. I really liked how open he was to our questions and how friendly he was. He seemed to be a very genuine and knowledgeable man. Whether our questions were relating directly to the text or leaning more towards writing strategies, Parkes provided us with a long, anecdotal type of response. He had a special way of drawing us in while he was speaking--perhaps the reason that he is a great mystery writer.

I was actually a bit surprised when he told us his background is in science. He is an excellent writer and also creative writer, but he told us that his background actually lies more in maths and sciences. With that in mind, students began to question whether he was writing about himself (through Kayo) in the novel. He responded saying that in some ways, yes, but no, not entirely.

Parkes told us that he likes to hand-write his work before using a computer so that he can draw arrows and so nothing is finite. He had good advice for us as writers. He gave us an activity to do towards the end of the class in which we had to write through someone else's voice. This was a useful exercise because after finishing, we realized that it was actually quite hard to stay in character of someone else while preventing using your own voice.

I am grateful that our class got the opportunity to meet with ask Parkes so many questions.

African Short Stories

What stylistic elements have you enjoyed lately in the stories? (Show us some bits of the writing that you like/admire)

It is interesting to see how styles of writing change regionally, in general. In this book of conglomerated short stories, we are provided stories from the western, eastern, northern and southern regions of Africa. It is not an easy task to generalize styles in the case of this book because each story's author has its own voice, provoking different reactions.
In some cases, we are given lots of dialogue. Dialogue is, in my opinion, one of the better styles of writing short stories. Throughout the course of class, we have discussed voice in a piece and whether it is introverted (implying feeling) or extroverted (explicitly saying 'this is how one should react/feel'). Dialogue undoubtedly helps the reader feel closer with the characters in a story. For example, in the stories, Papa, Snake & I and A Conversation from the Third Floor, the narration is aided by dialogue in influencing a reader, as opposed to that of the omniscient narrator in a story like Minutes of Glory, which may give readers preconceived outlook on a story before giving them a chance to form their own views.
Contextually, we see talk of animals and nature (The Gentlemen of the Jungle, The Green Leaves) and religion and politics (stories early on, The Betrayal)--all recurring themes throughout the course of class.
 

Nii Parkes Exercise: Writing through another's voice

(My mother's voice)

Okay, so.. Arkin look here! Stop with that blackberry! Pay attention! First you will throw these slices of spiced chicken in a pot and begin to marinate them. In the meantime, can you reach up and grab me the bowl of rice? (It's hard for her as she is just over 5'1") Now, I take this bowl of rice and pour it into this pot of boiling water on the stove. Let the rice sit here and become soft. Do NOT let it boil for too long. Arkin, look here! After the chicken is tender, place the pieces onto a flat pan on the stove and add a bit of salt to them. Make sure to spray the pan with this oil and rub it down clean before so that nothing sticks. Try this piece. Can you taste it for me? Is it fully cooked? (She is a vegetarian--quite ironic how well she cooks meat, yet has never enjoyed it herself)

Oh shoot!.. Look how many leaves there are outside! I hate raking leaves--they're such a huge pain. Do you remember the old neighbors that had a leaf blower? Remember that guy?.. What was his name? Mr. Conte? Yeah. He was the nicest man.. always would come over and do our lawn after his. And in the winter, he would use his snow-blower and plow our sidewalk for the people walking by. Now, its such a hassle to have to find a rake and clean the yard.

Anowa - Phase II

After reading Phase II of the Anowa, I am interested in finding out what the real problem at hand is and what these several conflicts in the plot will eventually lead to.

Anowa and her husband, Kofi Ako, are now moderately prosperous. Through their combined work in a trade industry, they have managed to survive. There is lots of labor involved, entailing the need for more hands. One of the  conflicts that has arisen in the story is how Anowa and Kofi Ako handle their this new wealth in relation to the purchase of slaves.

Their opinions are very contrasting pertaining to slaves, and as we read on, we see that their opinions are contrasting pertaining to almost everything.

While Anowa is strongly against having slaves, while Kofi sees opportunity. In society at this time, slavery is accepted.

Another conflict that rises is Anowa's constant nagging at Kofi Ako. She claims that he should marrie more women and have children. This twists the storyline because Kofi is now unusual, rather than Anowa. Both characters provide a balance in perception and character in society.

It is very evident that Kofi cares a lot for Anowa. We get a lot of dialogue from him telling her that he does not want another wife and that he just wants for (him and) her to be happy. It seems that Anowa is beginning to distance herself from Kofi, at times acting rationally,  yet sometimes irrationally.

It is interesting to see that regionally, in Africa different societies acted so differently around the same time period (Things Fall Apart). I am excited to read on.

Anowa - Phase I

I find it hard to read a play and not visualize the characters and settings in a mental picture. I see the stage described in the beginning, 2 lofts and characters entering and exiting from lower/upper right/left. I think that visualizing the play actually helps to understand it a lot.

Anowa, a beautiful, unique and confused woman who has lived out her young years is now a bit old to marry. The fact that she is unmarried is blamed on her parents by the Old Woman--one of the two components who make up 'The Mouth that eats Salt and Pepper" (bystanders of the story, speaking conversationally to the audience).

The first part of the play reads almost satirically to me. There are several instances in the first phase in which I can visualize a humorous scene:

• When the woman drops all of her stuff
• Anowa's entrance
• Old Man and Old Woman bickering at each other

--Visually these all could be funny.

The underlying theme of this phase is who is at fault for Anowa denying marriage so many times and a character analysis of Anowa.

Harkness Reflection

I learn a lot from listening. I started out the year strongly in terms of speaking and shifted more towards listening as time went on. As I see on the tracking charts, when I do speak, there is no certain direction or gender favored. I also do not seem to speak only on the days where everyone is contributing. I speak a lot on some days and fewer times on other days, never too much and never too little. I think that I have developed in my Harkness skill since the beginning. I try to make good eye contact and speak clearly and respect everyone's input. On the time duration chart, I have also spoken for a bit as well as over 15 seconds. There is a well distributed pattern of my speaking throughout the course of the class. Specifically, Kami and I seem to trigger thoughts in one another. I think that I have been speaking enough, but probably listening just a bit more. I can improve by speaking more.. I know that sometimes I have something to say, but I will just think about it instead of contribute it, so that may be an area in which I can improve.

Overall I give myself between a 17/20 and an 18/20. I can refer more to text and share more, although thus far my participation has been good.